Clover miteYou may have come across a Red Velvet Mite either on your lawn, in the woods or inside your house. While they are closely related to ticks, there is no cause for alarm as they do not bite and are not harmful to humans.
These tiny, pin head-size mites feed on the sap of clover, grasses and roughly 200 other flowering plants. All Red Velvet Mites are female -- they reproduce parthenogenetically and do not need males in order for their eggs to be viable. The (up to 70) eggs they lay and the larvae are bright red, while adults are reddish-brown. Clover Mites are extremely common this time of year, as well as in the fall. |
Color Search:
Can you find anything that is red outdoors on your walk today? I noticed some plants that looked kind of like brambles, or sticks standing straight up out of the ground....share your finds in the Google Classroom Stream! |